U.S. Demands More Abortion Records

[rodbarnett]

Attorney General John D. Ashcroft has subpoenaed hundreds of files. Justice Says Suits Make Data Necessary

The Justice Department has expanded its demands for private medical records of abortion patients, issuing subpoenas this week for hundreds of files from six Planned Parenthood affiliates, including the one serving metropolitan Washington, according to officials and court records.

The demand for records from Planned Parenthood affiliates in Washington, New York City, Los Angeles, San Diego, Pennsylvania, and Kansas and mid-Missouri follows similar demands in December for abortion records held by five hospital centers in the Northeast and Midwest. The hospitals have resisted those requests.

The disputes come as part of a series of lawsuits filed by Planned Parenthood and others seeking to overturn the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act, which was signed into law last fall but has been sharply limited by court injunctions since then. Lawsuits filed in New York, Nebraska and San Francisco challenge the constitutionality of the ban, which covers a type of abortion known as "intact dilation and extraction," in which the fetus is partially delivered.

Attorney General John D. Ashcroft and Justice Department lawyers say the subpoenas are necessary in order to determine the veracity of doctors' claims that the type of abortion covered by the ban has been medically necessary as the plaintiffs claim.

"We sought from the judge authority to get medical records to find out whether indeed the allegation by the plaintiffs that it's medically necessary is really a fact," Ashcroft told reporters on Feb. 12.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11244-2004Feb27.html

[NC_Nurse]

1. Scare tactics

to frighten women from getting to exercise their PERSONAL choice!
These people are SCUM!!!
Medical records should NEVER be allowed to be invaded by these religous zealots and big brother soldiers. I don't care whose they are...
You don't see anybody looking to get GWB's old records to see if he's got any drug violations or mental health diagnoses, do ya? A**hole!

[0007]

2. This is an absolute witch hunt, nothing more.

This is going over the top. John Ashcroft must be put in place and taken out of office.

[Sperk]

3. can't a patient request their records? If so, why don't these

women request them and burn them or at least keep them in lock down?

[NC_Nurse]

4. You can get copies of

your records, but you can't destroy them. The clinic always keeps a copy too.

They are not supposed to be available, just like psych records are not available to the public or the courts.

This is Pandora's box, IMHO.

They could subpoena anyone's records based on suspicion that the physician did something against the law. What a crock of s***!

What pisses me off is that all these fools ever talk about is the abortion itself, not the reasons that people have them. A 2nd trimester abortion is called a "therapeutic abortion" generally because there's a medical or psychological purpose behind it. Like for instance, the woman is a drug addict whose has been using through the pregnancy and the fetus will likely be damaged, or the woman's life is at risk, or there is a known problem with the fetus, like a genetic disorder....nobody ever talks about that!

[wryter2000]

22. If you request your own records

If you request your own records, you get copies, not the originals.

[Rainbowreflect]

5. I am sure that Rush is coming to the defense of Planned Parenthood

and the other clinics. He is so against courts subpoenaing medical records. Anyone want to put money on his support on his show today?
:evilgrin:

[izzie]

13. Gee I hope so. I do not think they should have his records either.

Fair

[Rainbowreflect]

14. I just realized that I was a patient of one of the Doctors that is involve

in the Nebraska lawsuit. Nice to know that my records could be involved even although I was not seeing him about a D&C.

[SheepyMcSheepster]

18. i heard rush previously say that

he didn't see a problem with it because it was being done legal through the system and no names were being handed over, just information for statistical purposes. so he is all for it. he sees it as anonymous data.

[kysrsoze]

6. Great. Names and social security numbers required!

Well, once they repeal the ex post facto law, they'll be all set to put these women in prison. Damned monsters.

[Athame]

7. Get thee to Washington on April 25th

http://www.marchforwomen.org/

About the March for Women's Lives
About Us | Jobs/Internships | Travel Guide

To demonstrate overwhelming majority support for a woman’s right to choose safe, legal abortion and birth control, the largest pro-choice majority in history will march on Washington on Sunday April 25, 2004.

For the first time ever this pro-choice march is a collaborative effort - seven leading national women’s rights groups have come together to organize this momentous event. The American Civil Liberties Union, Black Women's Health Imperative, Feminist Majority, NARAL Pro-Choice America, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, National Organization for Women and Planned Parenthood Federation of America are the principal organizers of the March for Women's Lives and have pooled efforts and resources to lay the groundwork. Other progressive organizations have signed on as co-sponsors - offering everything from member participation to help spreading the word and help defraying costs.

The march will begin at noon on the national mall, although participants may begin assembling on the mall, between the Smithsonian museums (between 3rd St. and 14th St.), as early as 10 a.m. After marching on Washington, a rally will be held from 1-4 p.m. on the National Mall. Special seating will be available for people with disabilities. The rally program will be signed for the hearing impaired. The route is wheelchair accessible and transportation will be provided for those who cannot negotiate the route.

Sign Up Now!

[loftycity]

8. Handmaiden's Tale come true......n/t

[dolo amber]

12. That was

my first thought as well. :( :scared:

F*cking Eyes, the lot of them. :grr:

[polmaven]

9. Whatever happened

to "probable cause"?

"We sought from the judge authority to get medical records to find out whether indeed the allegation by the plaintiffs that it's medically necessary is really a fact," Ashcroft told reporters on Feb. 12.

I see absolutely NOTHING in that statement that would indicate that enough probable cause exists to subpoena those records. Basically, what he is saying is that he can look at the records to find probable cause. It is supposed to be the other way around, Herr Ashcroft!

[liberalnurse]

10. So, if abortion access is made impossible but legal

then the rise of back room abortions will be on the rise.....


This strategy reminds me of how *bush went after terrorist! Same outcome ....look at Iraq......terrorist in control everywhere and on the move....can't catch them.


Same thing will happen with abortions. Control and safety gone....

[PaDUer]

20. How far back does he

want these records from? Is he going to throw these women in jail from 30yrs ago? He's unreal!

[izzie]

11. Well he ask for D+C records and over seas trips

That is how it was done by the people who had money for years. By the way is he getting them or is it going to court?What is it about Ashcroft and that group? They can not seem to let anything to do with sex alone.It is like having 14 year old boys around. Scary part would be married to one of those sex nuts.

[bushisanidiot]

15. Way To Fight Terrorism, ASSHOLE!

that liar SWORE he would not let his personal political or religious beliefs keep him from upholding the law in a non-partisan manner.

repukes fucking LIE!

[waterman]

16. Wonder how many weathly republicans are mentioned in these records?

Or were they infuential enough to have the records protected? Abortions are performed on a wide variety of Americans for a lot of reasons.

[Bandit]

17. So now a prosecuter can determine if a medical procedure is necessary

I guess we don't need doctors anymore because now lawyers are qualified to practice medicine. How could Ashcroft possibly know whether a doctor made a proper medical judgment or not? This is absurd.

[young_at_heart]

19. I just read Vanity Fair's piece on Ashcroft.........scary, scary man!

If you want to learn about his background and his very "right-wing" policies, read this article. Covering a statue's breasts is just one bizarre thing that he has done. I can only wonder what Bush was thinking when he picked such a person????

[wryter2000]

21. OMG

That's disgusting!